Thousands of pro-Hamas protesters marched in Manhattan on Monday to demonstrate against Israeli military action against terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Video footage circulating on social media shows the protesters walking through the street waving flags representing terrorist entities while shouting antisemitic slogans. This development comes amid ongoing demonstrations against the Jewish state for its effort to eliminate Hamas after it carried out a surprise attack on October 7, slaughtering civilians.
A banner featuring the flags of Hamas's Izz ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades was waved in videos published by the Bronx Anti-War Coalition, and in other videos posted by principal protest organizer Within Our Lifetime another banner placed the Hezbollah flag alongside those of Middle Eastern states.
Singular Hamas and Hezbollah flags could also be seen among the thousands of marchers, who changed slogans and wielded signs accusing the US government of aiding and abetting a supposed Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
"From the water to the water, Palestine is Arab," protesters chanted during the march.
Some protesters wore Hamas headbands, and one man waved a banner emblazoned with the images of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and PFLP General Secretary Ahmad Saadat. The banner's logo belonged to the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, a PFLP-tied NGO.
Protesters set off smoke bombs in the area and attempted to gain entry into the United Nations before being blocked by NYPD officers. It was clear that the demonstration was not simply about advocating for Palestinian civilians but a show of support for terrorism against Israel.
In one clip, a pro-Hamas protester sitting in a car can be heard saying that Israeli American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was recently murdered by terrorists after being kidnapped on October 7, deserved his fate. The individual also claimed Israel killed Goldberg-Polin, not Hamas.
In a speech, Nerdeen Kiswani, leader of the anti-Israel group "Within Our Lifetime” said “Calling for a ceasefire is not enough” and argued that “If you stand with Palestinians, you stand with Palestinian resistance.”
Many of the pro-Hamas protests have been taking place on university campuses with activists calling for schools to divest from Israel. However, others have taken to the streets in major cities as well.